tv meme, day 13: favorite childhood show

Of all the silly cartoons, the Disney Afternoons, the Snicks, and the family sitcoms, the first show that comes to mind when thinking of a definitive childhood show is the one-of-a-kind Dinosaurs. Do you remember it? Please say that you do.

Following the exploits of your typical prehistoric reptile family the Sinclairs (a cheeky reference to the dinosaur-mascotted chain of gas stations perhaps?), Dinosaurs stars Stuart Pankin and future genius Bluth matriarch Jessica Walter as Earl and Fran, dad and mom to three varying species of dinosaur children. And what was so unique and brilliant about this sort-of-forgotten early 1990s ABC sitcom was its completely cookie-cutter family comedy vibe with a ridiculously different backdrop. Picture it as live-action Flintstones, but instead of Fred, Dino's the dad, and instead of tired, goofy dialogue, it's loaded with purely funny, kid-friendly banter. I guess the big thing it has completely in common with The Flintstones is its awesome and catchy theme music.

Much like Family Matters and Steve Urkel before it (but to a much less obnoxious extent), the true star of the show, though, quickly became side character Baby Sinclair, whose one-liners and zingers toward his dad ("Not the mama!" and "You gotta love me!" come to mind) sort of paint him as an early, prehistoric, less diabolical and less crude Stewie from Family Guy. Other than that, the family goes about their daily lives - Earl works in a lumberyard, Fran is a homemaker and stay-at-home mom, 15-year-old Robbie is into rock and roll music, 13-year-old Charlene is into fashion and appearances, and Baby is into hitting Earl on the head with a frying pan. It's a typical, loving family, no?